'I heard he has been told to play three Test matches.'
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is likely to play in the first, second, and fourth Tests of the upcoming five match series in England, allowing adequate rest periods for workload management, according to former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik.
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar had stated during the Indian team's announcement for the tour of England last month that Bumrah had been advised not to play in back-to-back Tests as part of his workload management.
'I don't think he's available for all five Tests going by what the physios and the doctors have told us,' Agarkar had said when asked if Bumrah was available for the entire series.
India's over-reliance on Bumrah, 31, during their last tour of Australia, where he took 32 wickets in a little under five Tests, forced the ace pacer to limp out of the fifth and final match in Sydney and spend another three months recovering from back-related trouble.
From early January to the first week of April, Bumrah spent a considerable time in recovery before he made a comeback during IPL 2025.
Karthik pointed out that the first Test at Headingley (June 20-24), second Test at Edgbaston (July 2-6), and fourth Test at Manchester (July 23-27) are likely the matches where Bumrah will play, given the sufficient breaks between them.
'I heard he has been told to play three Test matches. But you know how it goes in international cricket, if the pressure is on, if there is a must-win game, things could change,' DK said in a chat with former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast on YouTube.
'And then when you go to the fourth Test, if you are 2-1 behind or 1-2 ahead, whatever it could be, I wouldn't be surprised if the fifth Test becomes a bit of a request to him, saying, 'please, can you think about it? But that's what I feel what the Indian team will do,' he added.
Bumrah enjoys a good record in England, with 37 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 26.27.
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